lucyA1308

Beckenham is lovely. I live in Sydenham, so pretty much in between Beckenham and East Dulwich. I would say East Dulwich might win for shops and cafes, but Beckenham might win on family necessities (I am sure there will be others who will contradict me though).

Fairy Godmother is a nice title, for a non-religious "God parent". If religion is not involved in it, then is is rather bizarre to have the word God in the title, but everyone knows that a fairy Godmother is a special person in people's lives. A legal guardian is totally different from any God-parent, fairy or otherwise. The two named in your wills sound as if you have made all the right decisions. If you are not worried about religion, then stick with that. I am sure your little one will be surrounded by many who will love and cherrish her, but if you have decided on a legal guardian already, and have no need / want of religion, then that person doesn't necessarily need a title. Just include her in your daughter's growing up and make sure she is involved in your daughter's the care and love and fun and games as much as possible. Our 2 have got several very close friends of ours who like to be called Auntie A...., or Uncle M.... They are not relatives, but this is the title they have chosen for themselves. Perhaps that is an option.

I was just about to post about the same issue. My 5 1/2 month old gets very easily distracted now, when I am feeding, and I was wondering whether that was leading to her not taking as much each go, and therefore my not producing as much now. She is waking up a lot more in the nights than she ever did before too. I have started her on a few solids, which she seems to like. She can see her big sister eating meals and so wants to do the same, but I need to keep the milk flow up, because she won't take from a bottle. I am also very tired now, because of the extra night feeds, and the big sister is waking up early because of the lighter mornings, and lighter evenings. I was worried that that was also having a knock-on effect.

I haven't watched the film, but I am lucky enough to live on a street with about 14 children all between 0 and 7 years of age. They are usually out on the scooters and bikes after school, and there is always some adult supervision from one parent or another, but the parents all know to look out for every child. The children soon learn about road safety. My 2 yr old knows what "car coming" means, and quickly gets out of the way. It is a lovely environment, and reminiscent of the one in which I grew up, where there was a real comunity. I hope more places can be like this again.

The family seem a bit cheeky, adding an extra child without any extra pay at that point. A nanny share from past experience was ?9 p/h for 1 child, and ?12 p/h for 2. I wouldn't have thought it should be any different just because the children are siblings. in my experience with 2 small children, post nursery pick-up, and supper time is the most challenging time of the day, when they are all tired, and you are dealing with the different demands of 2, not just one.

Tisbury is lovely. There are a couple of villages around there, and it is about half way, or just slightly over half way. Avoid getting out at Stonehenge.

I would always advise that it is cheaper in the long run to buy. 2 terms of renting and you have paid the cost of a bought instrument, that you can always keep, sell or part exchange. I am a violin teacher, and I always advise pupils that they should actually be buying an instrument if they can. I would suggest South London Music on Grove Vale

I know many parents say how fantastic the amber necklaces are. I'm thinking of getting one, but just a few questions: I wouldn't want my baby to ear it at night, does this defeat the purpose? Would just wearing it during the day be enough to carry through the night times? Have people tried the ankle / bracelet ones? Do these work just as effectively, or does it have to be a necklace? Thanks, Lucy

In the good old days (i.e. when I was a child) my mum and her friends did this all the time. I think now there are more stringent rules about being registered etc, but if you are CRB checked, then you might be OK. I would say that the only drawback is that it sounds a nice idea, but you could often be let down by the other person, when it is an arrangement like this, rather than one where money is exchanged, and when there is an obligation.

Aaaaarrrggggghhhh. 2 yr old was back to her good old self, and fell asleep before I had even finished reading her the story, but on the way up to bed, ran into the baby's room, and woke the sleeping baby up, so then had to go back and put a wide awake baby back to sleep. If it's not one, then it's the other.

Chamber Players is a summer music course for all ages (school age) and abilities (Grade 1 and above) of string players. Pianists are also welcome, but need to be grade 4 -5 for the junior course, and grades 7 -8 for the senior course. It is held at Sydenham High School, and runs from 20th-24th August this year. There is a junior course in the morning, and a senior course in the afternoons. The junior course is ?100 for the week, and the senior course is ?120 for the week. The tutors are all highly respected chamber musicians and teachers, and are chosen for their experience in this field, as well as their enthusiasm. Many of whom teach at the Junior conservatoires. The course starts with a concert given by the London Cellophonic, and all pupils are given a free ticket to this. The course finishes with a fantastic concert, where all pupils -and tutors take part, and performed what they have been working on during the week. All further details can be found at www.chamberplayers.org.uk

I was going to say that I don't think that my cloth nappies were necessarily the money saving idea which I had hoped. We used them most of the time for the first 6 months, but then they were out grown. I since calculated that the cost (based on 1 pack of nappies per week) was only covered by about 5 months. We do still use them for our 2nd child, and so now I feel that we are saving money, but looking back on it, it probably wasn't as much of a money saver as I had hoped - unless, of course you have more than 1 child, or buy them 2nd hand. My main tip is to say "yes" to anything that anyone offers. you might end up with a lot of things you don't need, but it is amazing what you later find that comes in necessary. Anything you don't want can later be handed on to others, or taken to a charity shop. Also shop in sales for childrens clothes for the following year. i.e. winter coats will be on sale in spring. Buy for the next year while in the sale.

YOu can give this a try. http://www.musicinpractice.com/ My own advice would also be to try to practice first in short bursts. Four lots of 5 - 10 mins practice is better than 2 x 20 mins per week. Especially for youngsters. When it comes to practice time, make it fun, and also maybe have a little performance at the end, so that the child feels a sense of pride. Always find opportunities to encourage. Even if the child feels frustrated by not getting it right immediately, find aspects that they did get right, and praise this. I would also encourage any opportunities for ensemble playing throughout the term time, or holiday. Turning up for your lessons each week is one thing, but when you realise it is a social activity too, and you can play in a group with friends, then it really does become fun. Bromley offer taster sessions, and have evening orchestra groups (for grades 1-3) and Saturday orchestras, (grade 3 +). pupils make progress without even realising it, when they are having fun.

Hello there. in despair, as I have just spent an hour and 3/4s going back and forth putting my 2 and a bit yr old back into her big girl's bed. My husband has now taken over. i asked for tips on this a few weeks ago, but unless I am actually there, to hold her hand while she drops off, she just gets in and out. She was a wonderful sleeper before, but now the nights are lighter, and also she knows that she can get out of bed whenever she wants. I have watched her eyes droop, and think it is safe to leave the room, and then before I know it she is wide awake again, and has a gling ot mischeif in her eye. She was so good in the cot, and it is so frustrating to have regressed. We also have a new baby in our household - which probably doesn't help, as she sees this time as time when she can get my attention all to herself, but she didn't fuss like this in the cot. i feel totally wiped out, because by the time I have got her to bed, my baby is wanting her next feed, and I still haven't had my supper yet. i think the stair gate sounds like a good idea.

I am a violinist, violin teacher and one-time suzuki pupil, although I am not a suzuki regestered teacher. 6 is a fine age to start learning the violin, whether by the suzuki method or not. Most instruments are squeaky in the beginning stages of learning, and I think a wood wind instrument is even more so, because a young child doesn't really have enough puff to make much sound, where-as a string instrument can start off making quite a good sound right from the beginning, just by plucking the strings,(which isn't at all squeaky) having fun with different rhythms playing games and having fun, gradually pregressing through stage by stage, until they are ready to use the bow., It is important, whether suzuki or not, that parents get involved as much as possible, and encourage the practice. Young children won't have the discipline to go and do it on their own accord - there are usually many more fun things to do, but there are ways to encourage a child. The more work they put into the practice, the more they will get out of the lessons. the more that they see that you are willing to be involved, they more they will also enjoy it as an activity which you can do together. Your money won't be wasted if you can see the child progress. The main reason that I became a professional, was because it was so much fun, but there is also a lot of hard work which goes along side that. In the long run, I would advise purchasing an instrument. They are not expensive, and after a couple of terms of hiring one, you might as well have bought it. You can always do a part exchange when your child has out grown it. I am happy to offer any more advice. Just ask. Hope it goes well. Lucy

Hi Natalie. Your post sounds very familiar. I will try your tip, and am also going to think about a sticker chart with a reward at the end of the week if her sleep time improves. Thank you. Her favourite phrase at the moment is "everyone's awake now"!

YOu have chosen to cut out quite a large gap all in one go. I would have a go at expressing a bit mid-day, for your own comfort, just to even things out, until your boobs get used to needing to produce a little less each day. It might help to clear things up a bit. When your boobs have got used to the 1st reduction in production, then you could drop the mid-day one. too.

I have always found Wooster Stock to be very good. Very tantalising descriptions of every property. They have a good web network. A granny annexe can also be an office for anyone working from home, so maybe you can target that sort of buyer too. Talk to the agent. See if they can get pic in Living South or something.

My 2yr 2 month old has always been good at going to bed. 7.00-7.30pm, after a bedtime story, and a beaker of milk, up to bed, lights out and straight to sleep. Other mums and family have all been very impressed. Just this week though, things have become much more difficult and she has been getting to sleep between 8.30 and 9.00pm. There are several issues, and I am not sure which one is the underlying factor. i.) the evenings are a lot lighter, so her usual bed time, it is still very light. ii.) due to our second child moving out of our room, and into the cot bed, we bought our 2 yr old a "big girls bed", as an investment, instead of another cot bed. She can now get right out of this (even in her sleeping bag), and time after timemake her way back down stairs, until she is completely work out. This is only recently though, and didn't happen before, so I don't think that the new bed is the only issue. iii.) I am wondering whether to reduce / stop her nap times, if she isn't actually getting sleepy until much later - where as before, when she went to bed, she would be very much ready for sleep. Is anyone else finding that the longer evenings are becoming an issue yet? Eventually the 2 girls will share a room, and up until this week, they have had the same bed time - putting the baby down first, and then giving the 2 yr old an extra story time, cuddle of her own, and then straight to bed. Now, if she can't hold my hand as she is trying to get to sleep (which this evening, took 1 1/2 hours) then she will get out of bed each time. I am being strict at the moment, because I don't want this to become a habbit, but at the same time, if bed times are a battle of wills every night, she will never want to go to bed. i can't wait by her bed every night, and especially not if they are sharing a room, other wise the baby will wonder why her big sister is getting special treatment, and not her. I do bed times on my own, because my husband works late, so I feel that I have to be firm, in order to make it work long term.

We went to Rocca last year> It is lovely, especially as we got married in Dulwich Village, so were able to get all remeniscent.

Yes, this is a question about smocking - as in little girls dresses. My 2 girls are very fortunate in having 2 doting grandmothers.One who is very handy with a sewing machine, and makes all sorts of fantastic pinny dresses for ever-day wear. Both my girls wear them all the time, and look great. The other granny - my mum, has a penchant for buying little smock dresses. these are very pretty, but not so practical, and easy for running around in. Each might get worn a couple of times especially if they are summer dresses, and we don't have that much summer weather occasions - only 1 child-friend with a summer birthday, and no foreseable weddings coming up. Luckilly having 2 girls means that these dresses do get a bit more wear because of being passed on, but again, only once or twice throughout the year. There is a nursery photo morning coming up, and it is a nice opportunity to get the 2 girls photo taken together. Something we have never quite managed successfully. Here is my question - is it over the top to dress both girls in smocks to have their photo taken? I don't know why I am worrying about it. I know it would make my mum happy to see them being worn. If I put them in their usual nursery clothes - jeans and t-shirt, then I might always think it a shame, not to have taken this opportunity to see them looking smart and pretty both together.I suppose that if I do, then it is ultimate proof that I am actually turning into my mum. Any suggestions, silly or serious, welcome. Thanks

Crystal Palace park has a mini farm. Open from 12-4pm each day. YOu can't feed them, but it is local, free and friendly.

the best deal we have seen is on Amazon. http://www.amazon.co.uk/CLOTHES-MOTH-TRAPS-x-10/dp/B003LQ4FVU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334519298&sr=8-3

definitely agree with Pickle. They will get muddled if they are in and out of nappies and pants depending on nursery days or not. There will be accidents, particularly if they are having a lot of fun, and not remembering to tell you if they need the loo, but just take a travel potty and spare change when you go out, and if there is an accident, give them a hug, tell them not to worry, but to try to tell you next time. Also boys do have an advantage of being able to pee in bushes.

we were given a graco one, which on our first attempt to go traveling with it - up to Scotland to see the G-parents, we left it behind, because it was so heavy. It is still useful when we go and stay there, but luckilly we don't have to transport it, which sort of defeats the point of a travel cot. If I had the money though, I would go for a phil and teds light weight, or a baby bjorn light weight.